High above the famous Cinque Torri lies the quiet Rifugio Nuvolau, the mountain hut with probably the best views of the Dolomites.

Are you planning to visit the Dolomites for landscape photography? And do you want to avoid the crowded photo spots? Then you’ve come to the right place!

Okay, I gotta come clean here: I love people but I hate crowds, especially when I’m doing landscape photography. It doesn’t matter how good my photo is, if there’s a thousand people out there with similar compositions I never get that feeling of accomplishment. That’s why I’ve spent a LOT of time exploring the Dolomites, searching for the best photo spots that aren’t overrun by tourists. Below you’ll find my five favourite picks, in no particular order. So strap on you hiking boots and pick up your backpack, we’re going on an adventure!

Würzjoch Pass

The root viewpoint at the Würzjoch. Only a few hundred meters from the car park, you might have to share this photo spot with other photographers. If you’re looking for solitude there’s plenty of other compositions in the vicinity.

Compared to the other major mountain passes of the Dolomites, the Würzjoch is still relatively quiet. Sure, it’s starting to gain traction in recent years but there’s so many photo spots here that you can easily find your own composition. It’s one location I never skip in my photo tours as it offers such a variety in compositions that you’ll never actually grow tired.

Without a doubt the most famous composition of the Würzjoch is the root viewpoint looking out over the twin peaked Peitlerkofel. You can find this viewpoint only a few hundred meters from the car park when you hike up a wide gravel track signposted to Munt de Fornella. If you continue another 15 minutes on the gravel track you’ll end up at the massive Fornella Alm which offers pictoresque wooden huts and spectacular views all around.

Abandoned wooden hut on the Fornella Alm, a mere 15 minutes away from the Würzjoch Pass.

If you love hiking, consider hiking around the Peitlerkofel. This takes some 5-6 hours and requires some 800 meters of ascent. You’ll be rewarded by great scenery. Bare in mind that the path on the west side of the Peitlerkofel is quite narrow and steep and is too much for people with a fear of heights.

Rifugio Nuvolau

I stumbled upon this gem while hiking the Alta Via 1 with my girlfriend. It was one of those special moments as the light was just insane during our stay. What makes this spot so unique is it’s panoramic views of almost all of the iconic Dolomite mountains. Tofane, Sella, Marmolada, Pelmo, Civetta, you can see them all. As an added bonus you can see the Cinque Torri way below you. From above they look really tiny! Early July is probably the best time to visit as you’ll find wonderful wildflowers blooming in between the rocks.

Panoramic morning light completed by a crazy beautiful inversion. The blue hour is probably the best moment of the day to shoot this landscape as it softens the otherwise harsh textures of the rock.

To be fair, Rifugio Nuvolau is not exactly a solitary place. During the day you’ll find plenty of dayhikers passing through but it never gets really crowded. As a photo spot, the place is virtually unknown. The hut itself is fairly basic. Water is rationed as there isn’t much around on a mountain top. There’s no showers and sleeping quarters feel slightly cramped. The food and hospitality are great though and if you’re willing to sacrifice some comfort in exchange for insane views, this place is well worth the visit!

Join me on one of my photo tours to the Dolomites!

One of the amazing locations we’ll visit during our photo tour to the Dolomites.

If these locations inspire you, consider joining me on one of my photo tours! During the tour I’ll show you my favourite photo spots while teaching you everything I know about landscape photography. Because of my intricate local knowledge I can help you easily find great compositions during the best light.

During my all-inclusive photo tours we will:

Spend the night in epic hotels and mountain huts right next to amazing photo spots
Explore undiscovered gems for unique compositions
Learn about composition and lens choices for landscape photography

Learn more

The secret valley in the Focobon group

The unknown valley in the Focobon group feels like a heaven for landscape photographers. It requires some two hours of steep uphill hiking to reach the place so you’ll most likely have the place for your self.

This valley lies deep in the unknown southeastern corner of the Dolomites and provides perfect views on the iconic skyline of Focobon group. With it’s many streams, waterfalls and wildflowers this place feels like heaven. With the exception of the hiking trail leading through the area, it feels completely untouched by human civilization. To reach the valley proper you need to hike some two hours covering 700 meters of vertical ascent so it’s unlikely that you’ll see many tourists in the valley. The two times I’ve visited I only saw three people in total.

Val Venegia

Last light on the imposing rock wall of the Pale Dolomiti di San Martino.

During summer Val Venegia is actually quite popular amongst day hikers as there are two huts offering food and refreshments on the valley floor. For photography however it’s an undiscovered gem. Mid June the fields are filled with bright yellow wildflowers (before the cows are let loose and eat them all). During the fall season you’ll most likely have the valley to yourself. The setting sun will illuminate the imposing mountains in the background, offering an incredible technicolor spectacle.

If you have extra time it’s worth it to explore the entrance to the valley. The river is very pretty and offers many intimate compositions.

Lago Federa/Croda da Lago

Lago Federa offers some of the most spectacular reflections I’ve ever seen.

To be fair this place is fairly well known. It’s just that it’s a bit harder to visit this place than other photographic highlights of the Dolomites, which is why it isn’t overrun with tourists. Still, along the shores of the lake you can find plenty of aspiring photographers and even the occasional influencer. The real reason this place makes the list is the sheer diversity of photo spots along the lake and the surrounding area.

The best way to reach this photo spot is to hike up the trail starting from the Ponte de Ru Curto parking on the SP638 between Cortina d’Ampezzo and Passo Giau (also recommended). It takes around 1.5 hours as it steadily climbs up through a beautiful forest. After just 20-25 minutes you’ll come upon a pictoresque wooden bridge over the river, offering a lovely photo opportunity.

In my opinion, this photo spot alone is worth the hike up. Take a long break here as there’s many beautiful compositions possible at this location.

The lake itself offers many brilliant compositions so even when crowded you’re likely to find a great photo spot all to yourself. I recommend arriving early so you have some time to explore and find your own composition. There’s a lovely mountain hut right next to the lake for an overnight stay, just make sure to book in advance. If you stay the night, also consider hiking 40 minutes to Forcella Ambrizzola. This mountain pass offers great views back to the Croda da Lago mountain towering above Lago Federa.

The best time to visit is in October, as the larch trees surrounding the lake will slowly turn orange before dropping their needles completely.

Croda da Lago as viewed from Forcella Ambrizzola.

Plan your trip to the Dolomites

If you’d like to visit some of these locations while being guided by an experienced photographer, check out my photo tours to the Dolomites. During the tour we’ll visit some of my favourite photo spots along with some classic photo spots. With a schedule optimized to visit the best locations during the best light I make sure you get to sample the best photo spots the Dolomites have on offer!

The Five Best Unknown Photo Spots of the Dolomites